Ump has Cubs seeing red in loss to Cards

The Cubs lost the game, the series and their manager in Sunday's series finale against the Cardinals at Wrigley Field.

Winning pitcher Adam Wainwright stifled the Cubs over seven innings, striking out 11, and Jon Jay hit a three-run homer in the top of the seventh as the Cardinals won 6-1.

Cubs manager Dale Sveum was ejected in the bottom of the seventh while arguing with home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi.

With two runners on base and no outs, Cubs third baseman Donnie Murphy clearly appeared to check his swing. But Cuzzi ruled Murphy went around for strike three and declined to ask for help from the base umpires. Sveum vehemently disagreed and was ejected.

Sveum remained angry after the game, calling Cuzzi's decision "easily the worst check-swing call I have ever seen."

Cubs pitcher James Russell also got the thumb from the dugout.

The Cubs' futility with runners in scoring position (2-for-26 during this homestand) wasn't helped by Cuzzi's call.

"Wainwright was pitching well, too, and to be able to get a couple guys on board with no outs, maybe get something going ... and something like that happens," Murphy said. "It felt like the momentum got sucked right out of us and he just mowed us down."

Sveum and Murphy were particularly upset that Cuzzi refused to ask for help on the call.

"That's why the other umpires are there," Sveum said.

The Cardinals took a 3-0 lead in the second inning. Yadier Molina and Jay hit back-to-back, one-out doubles for the first run. Kolten Wong then hit a deep fly to center. Rookie Junior Lake drifted into position for the catch, but the ball bounced out of his glove for an error. Three batters later, Matt Carpenter singled up the middle to score two runs.

"Things are going to happen. You can't worry about what you can't control," said losing pitcher Edwin Jackson (7-13). "You try to do damage control (after the error)."

The Cubs finally got on the board when Lake (3-for-4) hit a two-out, RBI double to left-center in the sixth. David DeJesus had reached on a walk before Lake made it 3-1.

Jackson allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits. He walked four and struck out three while throwing 117 pitches.

Reliever Carlos Villanueva walked Allen Craig and gave up a double to Molina in the seventh before being lifted for Russell. Jay promptly lofted a three-run homer into the bleachers to put the Cards on top 6-1.